He raised an eyebrow up at her as he put one of the towel balls of each of his knees. "Any particular reason why you are standing over me?"
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She smirked slightly and lightly pressed her fingers to his chin to tilt his head back, then leaned down and pressed her lips to his. "That's why," she said when she pulled back.
Anto smiled happily, looking up at her with a somewhat awestruck expression. "Were you really planning on doing that the entire time?"
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"Maybe," she said with a sly but slightly happy smile, not backing away just yet. She didn't move her fingers, either, more focused on the look on his face and the color of his eyes.
"I do not think you were," he said, tilting his head slightly. His eyes were a murky mixture of green and blue, very similar in hue to the water underneath the boat.
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"And why's that?" she asked, tilting her head the opposite way as he did with a curiously arched brow. Her own eyes were black like coals with little flecks of brown in them, sometimes gold depending on the light
"You said yourself that you don't often have intimate relationships," he explained, glancing down at his knees to adjust the ice towel, "so I doubt it was a premeditated action. Probably more of a spur of the moment thing."
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"Hmmm," she hummed, leaning down to peck his nose before moving to step away from him. "The princeling's smart. Congrats." The small smile remained as she spoke.
"You act as though you expected me to be stupid," he said, his nose scrunching up slightly when her lips made contact with it. "And thank you."
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"I'm just seeing if you pay attention," she said with a shrug as she sat down next to him on the bed, kicking off her shoes and leaving herself barefoot. Stretching her legs out, she tilted her head in question while looking at the prince sitting next to her.
"My attention is always on you," he said, reaching out for her hand. "Well, at least when I am not fighting."
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Her smile softened slightly as she folded her legs beneath her body as she slipped her hand into his, lacing her fingers through his. "How sweet."
"I was very surprised to hear how quickly Ming and Johnnie became reacquainted," Anto said, rubbing his nose with his free hand. "Feels as though there's some history between the two."
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"I have a sneaking suspicion there is," Fane said, letting out a slightly steadying breath and leaning against Anto, her head on his shoulder and her eyes looking down at their intertwined hands. "They seemed almost too familiar with one another."
"Previous lovers, perhaps?" he mused, leaning his head against her's. "Maybe a bit far fetched, since he did knock her out at first sight."
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"Love-hate relationship, I'm willing to bet," she said with a strong certainty to her voice. "That, or they're a little too into keeping up appearances of rivals."
Anto pulled back slightly, an amused look on his face. "For someone who claims to have not had a true relationship, you sure sound very confident with your verdict."
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She stuck her tongue out at him. "I have eyes. I know what other people are like. I just lack the personal experience." She looked up at him. "Until now, that is."
"And what a poor choice you made," he said, leaning back into her. "An accident prone man-child on the run from his old kingdom."
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She rolled her eyes. "And you chose a bossy first mate of a pirate ship who happens to be a supposedly dead noblewoman."
"Well, being bossy is a part of the job profile," Anto said, smiling slightly. The similarities in their background seemed to be almost fate, something that didn't pass over his head. "What a duo we make, huh?"
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"Double trouble," she said with a grin, glancing up at him before looking back down at their hands. Her thumb started to trace the curve of his hand back and forth, the repetitive motion almost calming to her.
"Do you know anything of the captain's past?" he inquired, repressing a shiver when she began to move her thumb. "Seems like a reclusive man."
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She tipped her head to the side without moving it off of Anto's shoulder. "Hmm. Never really thought about it, but no. I don't. He never offered and I didn't knew better than to pry."
"And here I thought you were nosy with everyone," he teased, nudging her head with his. "How did you two meet, anyways?"
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"He picked me up from the docks," she said, tilting her head slightly to indicate the docks where they were currently at. "I was little and he knew how much money I could fetch if he turned me in. And then I nearly cut his fingers off when he tried taking me back."
"That sounds like something you would do," he agreed. A particularly large and powerful wave hit the boat on the starboard side, making the boat rock side to side gently. Anto found it very comfortable, as if someone was gently soothing him to sleep.
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She scrunched her nose up at his agreement, though there was no point in denying it. The captain had kept her on board ever since, and she'd like to think he was glad of that decision. When the boat rocked, she felt more relaxed, her ease evident in how she seemed to loosen up and sink further into Anto's side, not quite as stiff as before.
"We probably should not go to bed at mid-day," Anto said gently, although he didn't move. The temptation of sleep tasted much to good to pull away from. "The crew will be returning soon."
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"Let me be comfy," she mumbled with a soft glare flicked up at Anto. "I'm relaxed, not sleepy." She let out a yawn that she tried to smother with her free hand. "There's a difference."
